Page 12 of Fighting for Lucy

Best he remembered that.

“I don’t get you.” There was exasperation in her tone now. “I know you love Scarlett, yet you let her believe you were dead knowing it would crush her. You show up right as there’s a mole at Prey, even though it’s a huge risk for a guy who’s supposed to be dead to show up at his sister’s job. Our plan crashes, you're acting all crazy about us sticking together, and you walk with a purpose. You know what you're doing and where you're going, but you refuse to tell me anything or answer any question I ask.Yet when you touch me, you're so gentle that I can't imagine you ever doing anything to hurt anyone. You're quite the enigma, ghost man.”

This time when she called him ghost man it was free of judgment and the words didn't quite sting as much, reminding him of all his failures.

There was no refuting any of her words. He knew exactly where they were and where he was going. And there was no way he could not be gentle with this precious bundle he held in his arms. Just because he knew there could never be anything between them didn't mean there wasn’t a part of him that wondered.

What would it be like to have Lucy as his?

What would it be like to make love to her?

What would it be like to press his lips against hers?

What would it be like to be normal?

And what was the point of wondering about it all? Nothing could change what was. Nothing could take back what had happened or his choices following it.

“I'm not a puzzle for you to uncover, sassy girl,” he said softly.

A small smile curled up one side of her mouth. “You should know something, ghost man.”

“Yeah? What's that?”

“I love puzzles, and I'm really good at them.”

There was a challenge in her voice as well as a promise. Lucy was determined to unravel him, but if she discovered the truth, it would only put her in more danger than she was already in.

CHAPTER FOUR

January 22nd

5:02 P.M.

With every second that passed,it looked like the inevitable was drawing closer.

Lucy didn't like it one little bit, this wasn’t how she wanted things to end, and she wasn’t even sure she was capable of following through and doing what had to be done.

You have to, Lucy.

This is your life we’re talking about.

Zander might have been a good guy at one point but he’s not now. You know it.

You feel it.

That was completely true. As the hours ticked by, she felt Zander growing more and more distant. Not only did he refuse to speak to her unless it was to issue an order, but she could sense him withdrawing. There was nothing in his eyes anymore, they were just … blank. Like he was more robot than man.

The pace he was setting was punishing, and more than once she’d collapsed, her battered body simply unable to go on.

When that happened, he no longer touched her with gentleness, cupping her chin as he helped her sip water from a bottle like he had the day before. Lucy hadn't even realized that she’d needed those small human connections to keep her going until he’d ripped them away. Now all she got was the canteen thrust at her while he stood over her with his arms crossed, expression empty, and posture stiff like he was ready for something to happen.

She was, too.

It was the very definition of waiting on tender hooks.

Something was happening, but she was left completely in the dark. She had no idea what to expect and the thought was terrifying.

Risking your safety in some adrenalin pumping activity like sky diving, or bungee jumping, or scuba diving way out in the depths of the ocean was one thing. It was kind of like controlling the danger. You knew what you were doing, you had practiced what to do in the event of an emergency, and you were prepared for all scenarios. It didn’t mean the risk was gone, but it definitely mitigated it.

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